


Still Hurts After All Those Years

by Elie_Esne



Series: I need more fanfics with Sabo in them [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Ace is not a Whitebeard Pirate yet, Alive Sabo (One Piece), Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Memory Loss, Not a reunion fic, Portgas D. Ace Needs a Hug, Sabo is a liar, Sabo is not dead but Ace doesn't know that, Sad, death anniversary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:00:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26925505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elie_Esne/pseuds/Elie_Esne
Summary: It was that time of the year, again.Ace couldn't really help it, it always hurt a lot.That damn day that had taken his best friend, his first friend, his brother, from him.Ace had to honor his brother memory.
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy & Portgas D. Ace, Monkey D. Luffy & Portgas D. Ace & Sabo, Monkey D. Luffy & Sabo, Portgas D. Ace & Sabo, Portgas D. Ace & Shirohige | Whitebeard | Edward Newgate, Portgas D. Ace & Whitebeard Pirates
Series: I need more fanfics with Sabo in them [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1945048
Comments: 6
Kudos: 100





	Still Hurts After All Those Years

Portgas D. Ace woke up feeling like shit. Emotionally speaking and physically. 

Yesterday, Ace was trying to murder Whitebeard, the Strongest man alive, someone who could rival with _him_ , when Ace quite literally slammed into a conversation that immediately sucked out any joy or happiness that Ace wouldn't even have on this damn ship.

It was something innocent, no ill intentions behind it. Just a terrible reminder of an horrible event that slapped Ace in the face.

It was that time of the year, again.

When Sabo died. When Sabo was killed by a Celestial Dragon. When Sabo's dreams and freedom were stolen away from him. When Ace lost his brother. His best friend. His first friend.

Ace almost never let it get to him, for seven years straight, but now was different. He didn't have to keep a facade for Luffy, their idiot little brother. But more importantly, Ace had set out to sea. Something Sabo never truly got to accomplish. 

So yeah, Portgas D. Ace felt like crying, not that he would let himself break down. Not here, not now. He was on an enemy's ship. He couldn't show more weaknesses than he already had by letting himself loose so easily to Whitebeard. He would kill that man, eventually.

For now, Ace would be taking a break. He didn't intend to kill that old geezer, not today. 

Ace was able to set out to sea, something Sabo would never do himself. The least he could do, was pay his respect to his dead brother. He even went to the trouble of asking Makino to teach him to have manners, so he should put that to use.

* * *

When Thatch saw Ace in the kitchen that morning, he thought it would be to steal some food, like every morning before today. Ace didn't trust anyone, even less Thatch offering the freckled teen an actual meal. So he stole food. And man did Ace ate a lot. But Ace was also a D., so that was no surprise.

What surprised Thatch, was when Ace went up to him, looking grim, guilty, an unexplained sadness clouding his eyes. Not his usual anger filled with unfounded(in Thatch's opinion) hate. 

''Could you tell me where I can find a bottle of sake?'' the teen asked.

''You're planning on getting drunk?!'' Thatch exclaimed, dumbfounded. Because he didn't thought Ace would ever let his guard down around them, and getting wasted wasn't exactly the best way to stay lucid. 

"No."

"You'll poison Pops with sake?"

"No."

Fire Fist was dead serious, which was new because he usually just was angry all day.

Honestly, did Thatch have any right to stop him from getting drunk if Ace wished so? He was a pirate and probably not a minor anymore.

''It's really important.''

Really how was Thatch even meant to refuse him a bottle of Sake when Ace looked like that? It was as if a weight from years ago had suddenly began to weigh on his shoulder. He looked vulnerable, but still dangerous enough to know it was better not to mess with him.

''There's a cabinet at your right, some of our brothers broke the lock a few weeks ago, you'll probably find some there.''

Ace bowed and thanked Thatch before heading off to raid the alcool cabinet, taking with him a simple bottle Sake. The thing wasn't even the best quality sake they had. If Thatch remembered well, that bottle came from East Blue, it was a cheap one pretty much anyone could afford.

* * *

Ace had found the same kind of bottle he had stolen from Dadan when he swore brotherhood with Luffy and Sabo. 

The fire user had also took with him three red cups. The Whitebeard Pirates seemed to have a ton of those. 

When Ace headed outside, on the deck, without even trying to be sneaky, that brought some suspicions from the pirates from this ship.

But Ace didn't say a word to any of them, ignoring all of their questions or attempts at conversation.

For once, Ace didn't even try to find Whitebeard. Today, he wasn't interested in killing him.

Finally finding a mostly alone part of the deck, Ace stared at the sea. The waves rocking against the ship. The salt that he could smell. The beautiful sun, shining bright in the sky.

Sabo was probably looking at him from his afterlife. Ace wouldn't be surprised if Sabo's spirit was actually calling him an idiot for being in such a mood. 

Because even if he was dead, Sabo was too much of a good person to just disappear after he died. He didn't deserve to die that day, seven years ago. 

Ace didn't believe in reincarnation. After he died, Ace would fade in nothingness. He only deserved that, as the child of a demon. But Sabo couldn't.

His brother would probably call him out on his flawed logic. That if he deserved an afterlife, so did Ace. That thought put a small smile on Fire Fist's face.

So Ace stayed there, saying nothing, staring at the sea. He wasn't sure how much time passed when he finally talked. 

''Hey Sabo...'' the few crew members near stopped their activities to listen to what their guest was saying. Ace didn't care. He was a pirate, he'd do what he want, when he want. ''You'll watch over Luffy now, right? I can't be around anymore to make sure he doesn't fall into water, so you'll do that for me, eh?''

Ace stayed silent a moment, waiting for an answer he knew wouldn't come.

''I'm sorry I didn't come get you out of there before it was too late. I just hope that now, you can be as free as you wish.''

Ace finally poured sake in the three red cups, took on to have an alone toast.

''Even if we are apart, we still have our bond. Take care, brother.''

Ace downed his cup before emptying the two other red cups in the ocean. After a small moment of hesitation, Ace emptied the bottle as well. Sabo deserved it all. Ace doubted they serve alcool to dead kids in the afterlife.

* * *

On the other side of the ocean, far away from the Moby Dick, a blond man suddenly felt dizzy.

For some reason, he found that everything about today was sad and wrong.

He was missing something.

''Sabo-kun! Did you at least listen to what I said?''

''Of course.'' The man lied.

The man was a liar, that was an important part of his job, to play pretend. His biggest lie was to himself. He pretended that everything was fine.


End file.
